For the first half of the 20th century, radio and the jukebox were the two main building blocks of contemporary music. Later, the introduction of the LP may have offered a wider canvas, but the fact remains that the 78rpm platter was still the creative yardstick and time sensitive discipline. From Louis’ Hot Five through the swing era to bebop and infinity and beyond (!), this medium produced some of the greatest ever jazz recordings – with few checking in at over three minutes. Many of these labels such as Blue Note (Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff), Chess (Leonard and Phil Chess), Atlantic (Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun) were created by immigrants blessed with a genuine vision while many others were often run by enthusiasts with European roots such as Milt Gabler. Without such entrepreneurs the shape of recorded jazz music may well not have proved to be quite as adventurous. Perhaps one of the most bizarre episodes occurred at Keynote, which originally started out as a Communist-friendly folk music label before a Javanese jazz obsessive named Harry Lim turned up in 1943 and over the next three years recorded many of the finest players of the era. These ranged from the Kansas City Seven & Five (‘Lester Leaps In Again’), Coleman Hawkins (‘S’Wonderful’), Lester Young (‘Just You, Just Me’), Roy Eldridge (‘St. Louis Blues’), Dinah Washington (‘Evil Gal Blues’), right through to Red Rodney's Beboppers (‘The Goof & I’), Dave Lambert & Buddy Stewart (‘Perdido’) and finally the very first sides cut by Lennie Tristano. Sadly, despite the original quality of both the music and the pressings when John Hammond replaced Lim, Keynote went into a tailspin declaring itself bankrupt in 1948. Mainly a microcosm of swing into bop, this revealing 11CD/243 track bonanza (previously a 1986 vinyl box set) is accompanied by an immaculate detailed 124-page book crammed with facts, photos and memorabilia. Bottom line… More than enough to keep one distracted until the great umpire calls time!!